Muffler.



L. VAUGHAN.

MUFFLER.

APPLICATION FILED 111m. 14, 1911.

1,058,393. Patented Ap r.8,19134 2 annn'rs snnm 1.

WI TNESSES: v IN VEN TOR.

WITNESSES:

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS VAUGHAN, OF BLAIR, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 LITTLETON W.

TURNER, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

MUFFLER.

tion.

My invention relates to improvements in mufiiers for the exhausts of power engines; and the objects of my improvement are, first,

to gradually decrease the force or pressure of the discharge current in the exhaust duct without obstructing or restricting the free escape of the released exploded gas or steam;

second, to primarily release apart of the discharge and so control. and direct it that it Will dissipate and mufi'le the later and final portions of said discharge; third, to gradually convert the intermittent discharge into an eddy in'a discharging chamber of much larger diameter than the exhaust duct and thereby reduce the force of the pulsations too loW to produce reports at the final ejection; fourth, to provide a mufiier automatically adjustable to mufiie exhausts of varying force and varying rapidity of pulsations; fifth, to build up' a conical or trumpet shaped' discharging chamber of the exhaust duct itself and, sixth, to-const-ruct that part of the exhaust duct forming the walls of the conical discharging chamber so that it may be made of cast metal parts assembled and bolted together. These and other minor objects hereinafter more particularly set forth, I attain by the structure illustrated in the e P accompanying drawings 111 wl11ch- Figure 1 is a top, outside or back view of 'such a muflicr designed and arranged for connection to an internal combustion engine and applicable to an automobile; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view on the broken lines 22 of Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 3, an underside, inside or front View; Fig. 4, an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the manner of jOiIl-r ing and bolting the separable parts together; Fig. v5, a front elevation of a simplified modification for use where there is ample room for elongation; Fig. 6, a longitudinal section on-the broken line 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a side elevation, with parts removed and cut away, of a modification designed later ally-thin for application to. a motorcycle; and Fig. 8, a vertical cross sectional View of Fig. 7. In all of which views like parts are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1911.

' Patented Apr. 8,1913. Serial No. 644,015.

designated by the same reference numerals and the arrow-heads indicate the direction of movement of the escapmg exhaust current.

A generic feature, the tapered slit 3 dis of the exhaust duct 4, is plainly shown in Figs. 2, i, 5' and 6; said slit being continuously widened toward the discharging terminal of said duct. .In thepreferred form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4:, the exhaust duct 4 is conico-l1elically coiled upon itself into a helicoidal cone forming the Walls of .a conical or trumpet-shaped discharging chamber. The outer'end 5.0f the base whorl of the coiled exhaust duct is made whole and tapped to receive the threaded end of the engine exhaust pipb 6. The tapered slit 3 is disposed on the inside of the whorls 'of the coiled exhaust duct, on the inside of the helicoidal cone or trumpet-shaped discharging chamber; it is'started close to the connected-end 5 and continued throughout the length of the duct; itis started as narrow as possible and gradually increased in width until it and the discharging end of the duct opens into the dome-topped terminal or receiving chamber 7 at the apex of the cone. This receiving chamber is practically a terminal bend of the exhaust duct to direct its terminal discharge axially into the discharging chamber and is preferably 01 greater diameter than the exhaust duct; it is axially coincident with the conical discharging chamber and opens out full-sized thereinto, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

To avoid the difficulty of bending a slitted pipe into the desired conical coil or of cutting the slit after the coil is formed, the whole back or exterior wall 8 of the cone with the wall of the receiving chamber is cast integrally. A continuous helicoidal groove, of semi-circular transverse section, around the inside of the discharging chamber forms the upper or back wall of the exhaustduct. And a continuous vertically-broad rabbet 9 disposed between the convolutions or whorls of this upper semicircular groove serves as a seat to receive the bases 18 of the curved and revcrsely-grooved plates 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, that form the under or front side of the .exhaust duct. These plates are firmly secured in position by the bolts 17 disposed diagonally through their bases 18 and through the outer wall at the rabbet,

as shown in Fig. 4. The plates are gradu ally narrowed at their inner edges from the base of the cone to its apex and said inner edges spaced away from the inner edge'of the upper or back groove to form the continuously tapered slit therebetween. And the abutting ends 19 of these curved plates are close jointed together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In operation *the exhaust at its full force enters the exhaust duct at the connection to the base whorl of the cone and is continu ously and increasingly depleted in force by the inwardly lateral escape through the tapered slit .into the discharging chamber until the receiving chamber at the apex is reached. If the exhaust is light the gradually increasing escape through the slit is sufficient to dissipate the pressure, obliterate the pulsations, whether slow or rapid, and prevent reports. The forcefully escaping gas from the slit entering the hollow of the cone or discharging chamber in the directions indicated by-the arrow-heads is a re-' sultantof the direction of the current in the duct and the lateral discharge therefrom through the tapered slit. This escaping gas first tends to form a helicoidal sheet from the mouth or base to the apex; but its tangential direction of movement produces a vortical effect while the lateral pressure from the slit crowds the Whole toward the axis of the chamber against the centrifugal force of the vortex. The result is a rapidly revolving eddy of substantially uniform density filling the whole conical, discharging chamber and also moving bodily in the direction of its axis toward the mouth thereof from which it is ejected in pulsations too light to produce reports. If the force of the exhaust is so great as to carry a portion thereof the entire length otthe coiled exhaust duct into the receiving chamber at the apex, the discharge from the slit will accordingly be more forceful and the resulting eddy in the discharging chamber of greater velocity density and power. This final portion of the current enters the receiving chamber tangentially, producing instantly therein a strong rortical movement in the same direction as the eddy in the discharging chamber into which it is axially delivered assimilated and its pulsative power neutralized.

To coil the exhaust duct as show, not alone provides a suitable inclosing wa l for the discharging chamber, but, facilitates the i use of ample length 01 duct to accommodate the required very long gradually-widcned slit within the minimum of space; and disposes the slit to direct the discharge therefrom in the most suitable mannerand direction to produce the dense rapidly revolving eddy in the final discharging chamber.

in the modification shown in Figs. 5 and neaasea 6, the action is similar. The exhaust duct is disposed in the large cylindrical casing 20 so that thedischarge "from the slit strikes the casing wall tangentially producing the forwardly moving eddy. It made of great length and the mouth of the casing far forward of the duct terminal, it is quite eilicient.

In the modified arrangement for motorcycles Fig. 7 shows the exhaust duct 4 disposed in an open. helical coil in a vertical plane and supported by the centrally disposed yoke hanger 21. The outer coil has the slit on its inside only and the inner coils are slitted both sides, as shown in section'in 8, and the open terminal is near the center of the helix. ported a small distance away from the sides of the coil by the vertical members of the yoke hanger and secured by the central cross-bolt 23 completes the inclosing discharging chamber.

1 claim:

1. An exhaust muffler, comprising an exhaust pipe coiled conico-helically to form .the curved inclosing wall of a cone-shaped open based discharging chamber communicably connected at its apex with the dis charging end of said coiled exhaust pipe.

2. An exhaust muffler, comprising a coneshaped discharging chamber having the base of the cone open to form an ejecting mouth of greater area than the area of cross-section of the connected exhaustduct, an exhaust pipe'bent conico-helically to form the curved. inclosing wall of said chamber and communicably connected to discharge into the apex of said chamber.

3. An exhaust muiller, comprising a coneshaped discharging chamber open at the base of the cone to form an ejecting mouth of greater area than the area of cross-section of th connected exhaust duct, an exhaust pipe having a conico-helical bend to form the curved inclosing wall of said discharging chamber, a receiving chamber axially communicable with the apex of said discharging chamber and communicably connected with said exhaust duct.

4'. A muliier, comprising an exhaust pipe coiled conico-helically to form the curved wall of a cone-shaped discharging chamber, said chamber open at the base of the cone to form anejecting mouth of greater area than the cross-= ection of the exhaust duct, and the whorls of the coiled exhaust pipe having a longitudinal slit opening laterally out of the exhaust duct into said discharging chamber.

5. Au exhaust muil'lor, comprising a coneshapcd discharging chamber open at the base of the cone to form an ejecting mouth larger than the area of (arose-section of the connected exhaust duct, :1 receiving chamber having an ejecting mouth opened axially into the apex oi said discharging chamber,

The side disks 22, sup- I 1 "ingfmouth to the chamber of greater area an exhaust pipe coiled conico-helically to conico-helic'ally coiled. to form the curved wall of a cone-shaped discharging chamber and having at the. inner curx e of its whorls a narrow slit opening laterally from the bent exhaust duct into said discharging chamber, the base of the cone open-to form anejecting mouth to the discharging chamber of greater area than the area of crosssectionof the exhaust duct, a receiving chamber having an ejecting mouth opened axially into the apex of the cone-shaped discharging chamber and communicably connected with the discharging end of saidexzo haust duct.

7. A muliier, comprising an exhaust pipe having, a portion at its discharging end coni co-helically coiled to form the inclosing wall of a cone-shaped discharging chamber, the baselof the cone open to form an ejectthan the'area of cross-section of the exhaust duct, 1 the discharging end of the exhaust ducti communicably open into the apex of saidchamber, and the coiled portionfor' said pipe; having a narrow slit throughout its length opening laterally from the duct into sai chamber. 8. exhaust muffler, comprising a cone- "s haped discharging chamber having the whole'base of the cone open to form an ejecting mouth of greater area than the area of opening from the exhaust ductinto said.

cross-section of the connected exhaust duct,

a dome-shaped receiving chamber disposed with its base open as an ejecting mouth into the apex of said discharging chamber, anexhaust pipe conico-helically coiled to form t-heacu rved surrounding wall of said discharging chamber, said exhaust pipe having a narrow slit along the inner curve of its coiledportion to form a lateral opening from the exhaust duct into saiddischarging chamber, and the terminal of said exhaust duct communicably connected to discharge tangentially into said receiving chamber.

9. An exhaust'muffier, comprising a cone shaped discharging chamber'open at the base to forman ejecting mouth of greater area than a cross section of the connected exhaust duct, aniexhaust pipe conico-helically coiled t6 formithe conical wall. of said chamber, said pipe having a slit to form a lateral chamber 2 and extended along thewhorls of the coiledpipe with increasing width from the basegto the apex of said chamber.

10. .A muifler, comprising a cone-shaped discharging chamber, the base of the cone open to form an ejecting mouth of greater area than the area of cross-section of the connected exhaust duct, an exhaust pipe conico-helically coiled to form the curved wall of said discharging chamber, a domeshaped receiving chamber having an open base to form an ejecting mouth disposed to open axially into the apex of said discharging chamber the coiled exhaust pipe adapted to be communicably connected at thebase of the cone with ari exhaust source,its opposite end communicably connected to discharge tangentially into said receiving chamber, and having a longitudinal slit opening laterally from the coiled exhaust duct into said discharging chamber and of increasing width from the base of the discharging chamber to the receiving chamber.

11. A inufiier, comprising a back-plate of bend to form a conical discharging chamber having an open base to form an ejecting mouth and having an intermural conicohelical groove, an integral portion of said back-plate at the base terminal of the groove made whole to form a short pipe coincident with the base end of the groove and having its outer end threaded for connection with an exhaust pipe, and a front'plate seated against the back-plate to cover said groove and form a conico-helical duct throughout the curved wall of said chamber.

12. A muiiier, comprising a back-plate bent to form a conical discharging chamber open at the base of the cone to form an ejecting mouth of greater 0 en area than 1 the area of cross-section of t e connect/ed exhaustductand having an intermural conico-helicai groove, a bent front plate seated between the whorls of the groove in the back-plate and grooved reversely thereto to form an exhaust duct therebetween,

and the plates at the inner edges of the grooves spaced apart to form a narrow slit opening laterally out of said exhaust ductinto said discharging chamber.

13. A muiller, comprising a back-plate shaped. to form a conical dischargin chamber open at its base, a helicoidally isposed groove around theinner wall'of said chamber, a rabbet disposed in the inner wall of said chamber between the whorls of'said groove, bent sectional front-plates each having a base to seat in said rabbet' and a groove disposed reversely to the groove in 'said back-plate to form therebetween an exhaust duct, and the inner edges of said front-plates spaced away from the inner. edge of the groove in said back-plate to form a narrow slit opening laterally out or! said exhaust duct into said discharging chamber. 1'

14. A mufiier, comprising an integral back-plate shaped to form a conical discharging chamber open at its base and a receiving chamber opening thereinto atthe apex of said discharging chamber, anv intermurai helicoidally disposed groove starting at the base of said back-plate and terminating openly in said receiving chamber, bent sectional frontplates seated between the whorls of the groove in said back-plate and oppositely grooved to form with the groove in said back-plate an intervening exhaust duct, and the back-plate and front-plates spaced apart at the inner edges. of thegrooves to form a longitudinal slit openin laterally from said exhaust duct into sald discharging chamber.

15.13 inulller, coinprlslng aback-plate having an open groove, an oppositely grooved front-plate seated against said back-plate to form an exhaust duct therebetween, and said plates spaced apartalong corresponding edges of their grooves to form a narrow slit opening laterally out of said- -pla'te to cover said groove and form an exhaust duct, and said plates spacedapart along an edge of said groove to form a nar-' row slit opening laterally out of said exhaust duct.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.-

LOUIS VAUGHAN. YVitnesses:

M. K. DAVIES,

S. W CHAMBERS. 

